Page 28 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

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Mortar Platoon
The Mortar Platoon have gone from strength to strength this year. After a combined six months in Canada and Oman in 2018 we have used 2019 to train and consolidate our status as 1 MERCIAN’s “Men of Iron”.
In the Autumn we said goodbye to Platoon Second-In-Command WO2 George Moitt, posted to train the Kuwaiti Army, as well as Sgts Dollery and Devlin who will go on to do great things in other battalions
in the King’s Division; their contribution cannot be understated, leading the platoon to an impeccable standard and leaving
the platoon in a fantastic position for the new arrivals: Captain Ted Prettyjohn and WO2 Don Johnson (YORKS). The year
has also seen an influx of new soldiers
from ITC Catterick, who have the honour of joining the Battalion’s most senior Platoon and are already establishing themselves
as fine mortarmen with great enthusiasm. Congratulations also to newly promoted Sgts Jiban Rai and Thapa Magar, who together with faces new and old will go on be the future of 1 MERCIAN Mortars.
The summer of 2019 saw the year’s main event, the annual numbers cadre, taking the Platoon to every Infanteer’s favourite place... Brecon. An ambitious program would see the Platoon
Cpl, now Sgt, Thapa Magar as a Command Post Officer
well placed to dominate the D Company March and Shoot Competition during the Battalion’s Castlemartin Range package. Mortars Team 1 cruised to a first-place finish and reminded everyone just what
train a high proportion
of soldiers entirely new
to mortaring, from
first lesson on the kit
right through to live
firing. Not only this;
they would summit
the Pen y Fan carrying
the full kit; conduct
challenging training and
heavy carries across Sennybridge; tactically deploying mortar lines; and even find time for a comprehensive general infantry skills package both rural and urban. Everyone jumped into the challenge, especially those new faces from ITC Catterick, with Pte Benton being voted top soldier on the cadre on only his first few months in Battalion!
It was no surprise that after this training, the Men of Iron would find themselves
1 Mercian D Coy Mortar Pl at the top of the Pen y Fan during the Mortar Cadre
determined mortarmen are capable of.
After a busy Summer, the Platoon settled back into routine in Bulford, welcoming more new soldiers from Catterick and laying the foundation for future successes in a period of vital preparation. This
saw us launching ourselves into training
on new radio systems and qualifying new vehicle drivers not just for Canada next year, but Afghanistan in 2021. Despite the busy programme, there has been room for a
little fun along the way... with adventurous training expeditions, including mountain biking and kayaking, to remind everyone about life outside of the office!
Pte Benton being voted top soldier on the cadre on only his first few months in Battalion!
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
Sgt Dollery Observes the platoon occupying a new position